Free Christmas on the Green @ Hyde Park

Pack a picnic and make a night of it

Christmas on the Green, a great night for kids at Christmas

Christmas on the Green is traditionally one of the high points of the Christmas calendar for those with young children in Sydney, and 2012 is set to be no different - in fact, it's going to be a cracker. As in past years, Hyde Park will be transformed into a Christmas wonderland - the perfect space for families with younger children to settle down with a picnic and get the festive season off to a fantastic start.

Kids' favourite Jimmy Giggle will be host the night, but there will be entertainment from all sorts of familiar faces, such as Peppa Pig, Mumble and Gloria from Happy Feet Two, and Jay Laga'aia from Playschool. Musical entertainment will be provided by children's entertainment act Electric Lunchbox, the Australian Girl's Choir and Jay Laga'aia will also doing a few songs too.

Jimmy Giggle (sans Hoot) will host Christmas on the Green in Hyde Park. image: ABC

The whole event will be interactive, with songs and actions that the kids can join in with, as well as craft activities that they can take part in. For those who aren't keen on packing a picnic, there will also be a sausage sizzle and delicious gelato on sale. If you want a memento of the night (and to start the Christmas gift giving early), a limited number of showbags will available for a $2 donation - the proceeds go to the Australian Children's Music Foundation charity.

Of course, no Christmas kids event would be complete without Santa, so as if all the other activities are not enough, Santa will also be making an appearance, along with the Lord Mayor, having just lit the lights at Martin Place. He'll be wishing everyone a happy Christmas, and making sure that the boys and girls are going to be good before the big day.

The night's activity will end with a spectacular fireworks display, especially designed for kids.

This event gets pretty busy, so it's wise to get there a little early to get a good spot. Spread out your rug, unpack your snacks, and settle in for the duration, it's going to be a jolly good time.